Details disclosed herein merely offers background information regarding embodiments of this invention. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the below might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.
The term “Internet of Things (IoT)” was first introduced at the MIT Auto-ID Labs in 1998. Thereafter, an annual report titled “The Internet of Things” was published at ITU-T in 2005 and preannounced that IoT would be the most fundamental frame containing all structures of future information technology (IT) industry revolution. This report defined IoT as “a new information communication infrastructure that connects all kinds of things existing in the world through networks and enables persons and things to communicate with one another anytime and anywhere”. That is, IoT can be regarded as an infrastructure to realize a ubiquitous space. Such a ubiquitous space starts by implanting computing devices equipped with specific functions into environments and things and making the environment or the things intelligent.
An IoT service provides more convenient and safer life to us. Therefore, various mobile service providers and device manufacturers are focusing on development of IoT supportable devices and services emerging as a next generation mobile service. However, such IoT services are at an early stage and have not established a detailed model. Therefore, there is a need for a detailed method for providing such IoT services.
Meanwhile, a demand for offering a payment service based on IoT technology is now increasing. Also, a payment service today is often using a user device, e.g., a smart phone, which has a payment application. For example, when a user device such as a smart phone is touched on a point of sales (POS) device that is installed in a shop or store, a specific application for payment is invoked in the user device by means of near field communication (NFC) technology capable of exchanging data through bidirectional communication or beacon-based technology allowing periodic emission of signals.
Additionally, service providers install a beacon device in a shop or store and, based on beacon technology, offer various contents to a plurality of service users. In this case, service providers may offer various types of services such as a publicity booklet or pamphlet service, a discount coupon download service, a payment service, a game application download service, and the like.
However, since a beacon signal is normally transmitted to a plurality of user devices in a broad space rather than to a desired user device which resides in a specific location, beacon technology is not suitable for a payment service.